Washington - Turkey franks that were distributed in 13 states are being recalled by Bil Mar Foods because the meat may not have been fully cooked and could make people sick, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.
The company is recalling 15,000 pounds of the turkey franks after a worker discovered high moisture levels in some of the packaged product.
"Because of the potential food-borne illness hazard, we urge consumers who have purchased the suspect product to return it to the place of purchase," said Thomas Billy, administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
There have been no complaints or reports of illnesses related to the franks, an Agriculture Department spokesman said.
The franks were distributed in Arizona, California, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Washington.
The recalled franks come in three-pound packages labeled "Mr. Turkey Jumbo Franks" with a sell-by date of Oct. 1. "Est. P-261" appears inside the USDA inspection seal on the product label.
Bil Mar called the case "an isolated one" and said it has taken steps to make sure its turkey franks are always cooked thoroughly.
"Our first concern is for our customers and that is why we are taking these precautionary measures," Bil Mar Vice President Dr. William Schwartz said in a statement. Food-borne illnesses in the United States are estimated to kill an estimated 9,000 people every year and make up to 81 million others sick.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
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